A Walk in Woods and Fields

I was out walking for about an hour this morning. The weather is very overcast and windy but dry. The temperature is just below 10 degrees Celsius. The wind makes some of the songs a bit difficult to hear but it also keeps the blackflies away.

The fields are green with new grass and have lots of dandelions. I heard several sparrow species. Song sparrows were the most common, followed by savannah sparrows. There were also a number of field and chipping sparrows and I heard at least one clay-coloured sparrow. Also, red-winged blackbirds, brown thrashers and goldfinches were seen and heard. Seagulls flew overhead and a turkey was heard gobbling to the south.

I eventually came to the wood lot on the Mill Creek ravine. The tree leaves are out to varying degrees. Basswood trees already have very large leaves while they are still relatively small on maple trees. Varous ferns are appearing in the woods, most of which have already unfurled beyong the fiddlehead stage. There I heard robins, blue jays, probably a hairy woodpecker, and a grouse drumming. However, the highlight were two rose-breasted grosbeaks singing high up in the maple trees. The colours were difficult to see today because of the weather but their songs were loud and clear. This is a spectacular bird with its black upper parts and brilliant reddish breast.

Finally, after returning through the old orchard, I think I heard an indigo bunting.

Frogs at the Pond

I promised I'd report on frog calls when I posted my treefrog message. The main observation point is a pond a few hundred meters from our house and the surrounding ditches and wet spots. So far I have heard four frog species this year.

The first sign of amphibians were the green frog tadpoles that appeared on the first nights with above 0 degrees Celsius. They came to the edge of the pond and the surface where there is some dead vegetation. When you approach the pond they all wiggle away into the pond weed.

The first frogs to call were the spring peepers a few weeks ago. They have been calling at varying strength, loud when the nights are warm, quietly when they have been cold.

The tree frogs started at the same time but their number issmaller and their call has less force, so you only hear them when you are really close or the peepers have stopped momentarily.

A clump of eggs appeared in the pond about 1.5 weeks ago, it is gone now.

Last week (May 3) the toads started calling. There only seem to be 2-3.

Also, some frogs that may be young green frogs have appeared at the pond.

Shortly after the green frog tadpoles some red-spotted newts showed up in the pond.

Also, I found a red-backed salamander in the gully behind the house.

Reptiles have been a bit more scarce. The only exception is a painted turtle that has been around the pond for several weeks.